Mulling Tea
by fringeperson
Summary: ONESHOT. DO NOT OWN. COMPLETE. Rakushun smiled as he considedered the Empress of Kei through the steam of his teacup.


Rakushun sipped his tea as quietly as he could, in as refined a manner as he could, while dealing with a differently shaped mouth than he was used to, longer arms than he normally had, and large sleeves that he normally wouldn't have to think about. In private with Youko, he knew she didn't mind what shape he took, but he was also aware that her ministers were still a little sensitive to the idea of a hanjuu walking around in just his fur and a slightly tatty looking yellow scarf. To placate her ministers, if nothing else, Rakushun took his human shape and put on his best robes when he visited the Empress of Kei, though he knew she herself didn't care.

Currently, he was doing his very best to be quiet and graceful so as not to attract attention. Their private tea had been interrupted by one of the members of the council, and Youko had started up with a fire in her eyes that had nothing to do with the Hinman that guarded her at all hours. Youko was still determined that she didn't _need_ all of the rooms in her palace, and that all the space could be put to a much better use than sitting around empty, looking rich. She was the only one in her court who thought so, unfortunately. En-Ou, Enki, and Rakushun all agreed with her, but Keiki wasn't budging on the propriety of the matter, and nearly all of her ministers were highly traditional and even more proud of showing their nation's status than Keiki was determined that Youko shouldn't upset the way things were.

It had taken ten years and an altogether drastic action on her part to have the court and her nation understand that she would, under _no circumstances_, be wearing the sort of clothes and jewellery they were used to seeing on the rulers of Kei that had come before her. Youko had called for a small cart, excused all of her personal attendants – even Suzu and Shoukei, who had become as close to her as sisters – and gone through her royal finery, laying hat after necklace after earrings after hair ornament after gold-trimmed robe into the cart until it was full. She'd then called for another and done the same thing again, and again, and again, filling a total of six carts. When Youko had finished, she had left herself only fifteen different robes, three pairs of shoes, one pair of very small earrings, one set of plain bone hair ornaments, and the only ring that didn't hold a stone – but did have her crest on it in miniature. She had then requested the gardeners to help her bring these carts into the assembly hall – and yes, she had pulled one herself as well – where she had declared that all that was contained in those carts _would be sold_. Even if she had to go to market personally in order to sell it.

Rakushun and Youko still laughed over that sometimes, and she was adamant that the main reason it had taken so long was because the first nine years of her reign, she was too busy fixing up the mess left by Yo-Ou to realise just how much stuff she actually had. Keiki had protested, and sometimes still did, but Youko was resolute that she didn't need all those clothes to be the Empress, and in fact did a much better job without them hindering her every step and movement.

The golden-eyed hanjuu expected that Youko would eventually get her way with this matter as well, just as she had the one before it, and chuckled softly to himself as he watched her. He knew she was above him, but he could hardly help how smitten he was with her.

"And now I think you have distracted me from my honoured guest for quite long enough," Youko growled to the minister as politely as she could, turning her back on him in dismissal.

The man left with a sigh, and Youko sat down with a groan, covering her eyes for a moment and trying to regain her composure.

" Rakushun, do you think I'm stubborn or pushy?" Youko asked, peeking out from between her fingers to look at her very best friend.

Rakushun smiled gently, set down his cup, rose to move and sit beside his favourite red-head, then took the hand covering her face and drew it away with his own.

"When it comes to your ministers and the things that matter to you, and even Kei-Taiho, yes, you can be a bit stubborn," he agreed, with a smile. "Personally, I love it when you're pushy."

"Really?" Youko asked, hope glimmering in her green eyes.

Rakushun smiled and brushed his lips to hers just lightly.

Youko quickly brought a hand up and didn't let him move his head away, forcing them closer together, kissing back and kissing harder until they were both out of breath.

"Really." Rakushun affirmed, panting and smiling as he ran a hand down her side and leant in to kiss her again.


End file.
